In fiscal year 2025, lenders approved 330 SBA 7(a) loans worth $159.8 million to businesses in Nebraska. Here is where that money went, which institutions approved it, and how big a loan a business like yours actually gets — straight from the SBA's own published records.
The median approval was $177,500, $10,650 above the national median of $166,850. That number matters more than the headline total: it is the size of deal lenders in this state are comfortable writing, and asking for something far outside it is the quiet reason many files stall.
| Loan size | 7(a) loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $50K | 48 | 14.5% |
| $50K-$150K | 90 | 27.3% |
| $150K-$350K | 88 | 26.7% |
| $350K-$1M | 68 | 20.6% |
| $1M+ | 36 | 10.9% |
37.3% of Nebraska approvals went to new businesses (startups or under two years old), against 29.8% nationally.
Ranked by number of FY2025 approvals to Nebraska businesses. The single most active 7(a) lender in the state was Union Bank and Trust Company with 58 approvals at a median of $285,000 — which tells you exactly the size of deal it wants.
| Lender | Loans in Nebraska | Median size | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union Bank and Trust Company | 58 | $285,000 | $24.4 million |
| U.S. Bank, National Association | 22 | $36,500 | $3.5 million |
| Emprise Bank | 21 | $604,000 | $12.2 million |
| First State Bank Nebraska | 20 | $191,500 | $11.3 million |
| Northeast Bank | 20 | $150,000 | $3.8 million |
| The Huntington National Bank | 19 | $300,000 | $11.6 million |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 13 | $50,000 | $1.1 million |
| Associated Bank National Association | 13 | $242,000 | $8.1 million |
| Arbor Bank | 9 | $100,000 | $1.5 million |
| Newtek Bank, National Association | 8 | $256,500 | $6.7 million |
| Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 8 | $20,000 | $3.3 million |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 7 | $590,000 | $11.2 million |
Lenders are listed because the SBA publishes them. Inclusion is not a recommendation, an endorsement, or a statement that any of them will approve your file — and Goldspur Capital is not affiliated with any lender named.
The median initial rate recorded at approval was 8.99%, with most loans between 7.5% and 12.24%, and 77.6% written on a variable rate. Historic rates at approval across the year — not a quote, and not what you would be offered today.
| Industry | Loans | Median loan |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Service Restaurants | 18 | $120,000 |
| Residential Remodelers | 16 | $30,000 |
| General Automotive Repair | 12 | $242,500 |
| Beauty Salons | 9 | $150,000 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | 8 | $93,500 |
| All Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 8 | $240,000 |
| Roofing Contractors | 8 | $519,500 |
| Other Personal Care Services | 7 | $93,600 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 7 | $200,000 |
| Home Health Care Services | 7 | $150,000 |
| County | Loans | Median loan |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas | 117 | $200,000 |
| Lancaster | 72 | $188,750 |
| Sarpy | 36 | $165,350 |
| Lincoln | 8 | $72,500 |
| Cass | 8 | $137,500 |
| Scotts Bluff | 7 | $317,000 |
| Dodge | 7 | $1,075,000 |
| Buffalo | 7 | $150,000 |
504 money buys property and heavy equipment, at a long fixed rate, through a Certified Development Company partnered with a bank. Nebraska saw 30 504 approvals worth $34.2 million in FY2025, median $738,500. The most active CDCs:
| CDC | 504 loans | Median size | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Economic Development Corporation | 28 | $636,500 | $31.9 million |
| Fiscal year | 7(a) loans approved | Total approved | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 295 | $105.3 million | $166,500 |
| FY2024 | 368 | $160.6 million | $180,000 |
| FY2025 | 330 | $159.8 million | $177,500 |
| FY2026 (partial) | 208 | $100.1 million | $192,500 |
Three practical readings. First, size your ask to the state's median band — a request that sits where lenders are already active is a materially easier file than one that does not. Second, a decline is a matching problem far more often than a credit problem: the tables above show institutions with completely different appetites operating in the same state in the same year. Third, if your industry is not in the list above, it does not mean no, it means fewer lenders — and that is exactly the situation where going through a partner who knows which desk to call is worth more than another application.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan data (data.sba.gov), files as of 30 June 2026, read on 1 September 2026. Figures cover loan APPROVALS, not disbursements, and the files contain no declined applications — so no approval rate can be calculated from them. Fiscal year 2026 is partial (1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026). Aggregated by Goldspur Capital; borrower-level records are not published. State figures are aggregated on the project state of each loan. Program guidelines shown are our lending partners' published minimums as of September 2026 and can change. They are qualification floors, not an offer.
One free application, 14 funding programs, SBA and non-SBA. Soft review only, and no fee is ever charged to a business owner.
Checking your options does not affect your business credit. A soft review only.
🍪 We use cookies and similar technologies to run this site, remember your preferences, measure traffic, and improve your experience — and some tools help us understand which businesses visit us. By clicking Accept you agree to this use. You can decline non-essential cookies anytime. See our Privacy Policy.